PART
7 CLASSIFICATION
AND SEARCH
Rule 700.
Classification and search. An
application that
has complied with the formal requirements shall be classified and a
search
shall be conducted to determine the prior art. [Sec.
43,
IP Code]
Rule
701.
The Office shall use the International Patent Classification.
Rule
701.1.
Content of the Intellectual Property Search Report. The
Intellectual Property Search Report is drawn up on the basis of the
claims,
description, and the drawings, if there is any:
(a) The search report
shall mention those documents, available at the Office at the
time
of drawing up the report, which may be taken into consideration in
assessing
novelty and inventive step of the invention.
(b) The search report
shall distinguish between cited documents published before the date of
priority claimed, between such date of priority and the date of filing,
and on or after the date of filing.
(c) The search report
shall contain the classification of the subject matter of the
application
in accordance with the International Patent Classification.
(d) The search report
may include documents cited in a search established in the
corresponding
foreign application.
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